Friday 24 October 2008

Concerned Professors for Troy Davis



Hello all,
This is an initiative by Professors to show their support for Troy Davis.
Already hundreds have signed on!!

If you are a professor and would like to include your name in this growing list, please send me an email or respond to the email listed at the bottom of this message.

AND PLEASE — forward far and wide for all professors to join this list!

Marlene Martin
Campaign to End the Death Penalty


Dear Colleague,
As you may be aware, the state of Georgia has given Troy Anthony Davis an execution date for the third time. On September 23, Troy came within two hours of facing his death until the U.S. Supreme Court stepped in and halted the execution. However, the victory proved to be short lived. On October 14, the Court declined to review Troy's case in spite of overwhelming evidence pointing to his innocence. Wasting no time, the state of Georgia quickly scheduled a new execution date--Monday, October 27.
The state originally convicted Troy of killing a white police officer in 1991 despite no physical evidence linking him to the crime. His conviction was based entirely on the testimony of nine witnesses and resulted his death sentence. However, seven of those nine witnesses have since recanted in sworn affidavits. Several have cited that police coerced their testimony. Meanwhile, witnesses now implicate one of the two witnesses that did not recant as the actual killer.
With no further recourse, other than an intervention by the Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole, appointed by Gov. Sonny Perdue, Troy's family and supporters around the world are waging an all-out fight to prevent him from becoming another victim of the death penalty.
We, Concerned Professors for Troy Davis, call on all faculty members to discuss this case in classes with your students, and to encourage them to attend the mass "Rally for Troy Davis" on Thursday October 23rd, from 6pm to 8pm. This rally, sponsored by the NAACP and Amnesty International, will be held on the front steps of the Georgia state capital building in downtown Atlanta. Rev. Al Sharpton will be one of the featured speakers. Additionally, Concerned Professors for Troy Davis asks that all faculty members make whatever arrangements necessary to facilitate student attendance at the rally, cancelling class if need be.
The stakes in this case are enormous, and grassroots action will determine the outcome. Please forward this message far and wide.
Thank you very much for your attention to this urgent issue of justice,
Concerned Professors for Troy Davis:
Patrick Dyer, PhD, Lecturer of Psychology, Kennesaw State University*; Campaign to End the Death Penalty*
Ken Hill, MA, Instructor of Education, Kennesaw State University*
Carlton Usher, PhD, Assistant Professor, Political Science, Kennesaw State University*
Mary E. Hocks, PhD, Associate Professor of English, Georgia State University*
Sarah Gerwig-Moore, Asst. Professor of Law, Mercer University School of Law*
Ron Finnell, DPA, Chair/Associate Professor, Public Administration, Clark Atlanta University*
Sheila Hadley Strider, SPHR, Instructor, First-Year Programs, Kennesaw State University*
Deryl D. Dantzler, Professor of Law, Mercer University School of Law*
Jack L. Sammons, Griffin B. Bell Professor of Law, Mercher University School of Law*
Jim Davis, PhD, Assistant Professor, Theatre, Kennesaw State University*
David T. Ritchie, Associate Professor of Law, Mercer University School of Law*
David A. Davis, Asst. Professor of English, Mercer University*
Professor Randall Harshbarger, Mercer University*
Jayne R. Beilke, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Educational Studies, Ball State University*
Professor Timothy W. Floyd, Mercer University*
Professor Sarah L. Pallas, Neuroscience Institute and Dept. of Biology, Georgia State University*
William Sapp, Assoc. Professor of Art, Emeritus, Lamar Dodd School of Art, University of Georgia*
Donal Christopher Wells, Associate Professor of Law, Mercer University School of Law*
Jay Driskell, Adjunct Professor, History Dept, University of Arizona*
Christina Sharpe, Associate Professor, Tufts University*

(* for identification purposes only)

+ FYI, there is an emergency "SpeakOut! to Save Troy Davis" on the campus green at Kennesaw State University from 12-2pm on Thurs. Oct. 23. With Oct. 23 as the Global Day of Action for Troy Davis, solidarity rallies are encouraged on every campus.
+ more info on Troy's case can be found at: www.troyanthonydavis.org
onydavis.org/>
+ Call & fax the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles & demand they stop the execution:
2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, SE
Suite 458, Balcony Level, East Tower
Atlanta, Georgia 30334-4909
(phone) 404-656-5712 or 404-651-8502
(fax) 404-651-6670; (404)651-8502; (404) 651-5282; (404) 463-6627
+ Call, email, & fax Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue & demand that he intervene with his Parole Board:
Office of the Governor
Georgia State Capitol
Atlanta, GA 30334
Fax:(404)657-5947
Tel:(404)656-1776
web: http://gov.state.ga.us/contact.shtml
ga.us/contact.shtml>
+ If you would like to add your name to this list of Concerned Professors for Troy Davis, please email atlantacedp@yahoo.com yahoo.com>

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